safstkom



March 23 1926.

G. A. SAFSTROM ELECTRICAL TIMING nnvrcfi Orillnai P11 'zaaza Reissued Mar. 23, 1926.

A Re. 16,298

PATENT OFFICE.

GUS'I'AF A; sAFsrRo /r, or (increase, ILLINOIS.

ELECTRICAL TI IN DEVICE.

Original 110., 1,499,479, dated July 1, 192-4, Serial No; 583,262,1i1ed August 21, 1922. reissue filed December 16, 1925. Serial No. 75,880.

To all who-m it may canoe m;

Be it known' that I, Gosrai A. SAFS'lROM, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement for Electrical Tim ng Devices, of which the following is a specification. My invention relates to electrical timlng devices for use more particularly in connection with internal combustion engines to time the ignition of the charges in the cylinders. a i a a p My object generally stated is to provide a novel, simple, economical, durable and positively-operating construction of device of the character above stated. More'specifically stated, my objects are to reduce the number of binding posts required to be provided on the device; to provide in a timer of the spring type a novel form of spring and arrangement of parts whereby the life of the spring will be greatly extended and will remain operative to perform its function over a relatively long period of time; to provide for the use of a light spring and I effect a quick breaking of the circuit therethrough; to provide for the maintaining of the cont-actsin the desired clean and unpitted condition in the continued use of, the device; and other objects as will be manifest I from the following description.

Referring to the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a frontview of the radiatorequipped portion of a Ford automobile, witha portion ofthe radiator'broken away and equipped with an electrical timing de vice constructed in accordance with my in vention, the latter being shown in sideelevation. Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the device taken at the irregular line 2-2 on Fig. 3 and viewed in the di rection of the arrows. Figure 3-is a top view of the device, with the cover removed; and Figure 4, a section taken at the line 4 on Fig. 3 and viewed in the direction of the arrow, the central portion of the device being shown in elevation and certain of the internal parts being omitted.

Since I have devised my mprovements for use more articularly in Ford automobiles, l have il l st-rated it in this connection and as embodied in a structure adapted to be substituted fOl tlle timer commonly provided'as' a part of the equipment of Ford cars and providing for the location of the timing device at such a position on the car as to render it readily accessible, thoughI,

do not wish to be understood as intending to limit the invention in any way thereto.

Application for' Referring to the particular construction shown, itinv-ol'ves a casing section 5 having journaled therein to extendftangentially thereof, a shaft 6 which is equipped at its lower end with a spiral gear 7 rigid thereon and adapted to mesh with a timing gear 8 mounted on the-camshaft which forms a part of the standard equipment of a Ford automobileythe casing section just referred to being substituted for the timer commonly provided as a part ofthe standard equipment of the car; an upper hollow circular cup-shaped member 9 constituting the main portion of the timing device shell aiidliaving a depending split tubular extension 5 with a clamping bolt 5, and a tube 10 surrounding the shaft 6 and clamped at its upper end in the extension 5 the tube 10 and member 9 being rotatable on the casing section 5 and relative to the shaft 6, and the tube 10 being provided'witli an arm 11 adapted tobe connected with any suitable mechanism, of which the rod 12 is a part, for adapting the tube 10, together with the member 9, and the electrical contacts hereinafter described, and carried thereby, to be bodily rotated, under thelcontrol of the operator, relative to the shaft 6 and contactactuating member hereinafter described and carried by the upper end ofthis shaft, to advance or retard the spark controlled through the device. The tube 10 and member 9 are held against upward displacement on the shaft 6 by the contact-actuating member above referred to which forms a stop overlapping the member 9, The structure tion 17 in which the tube 10 is journaled' that the The arrangement is such, as showni 7 device is caused to extend upwar ly' at an angle from the timing gear 8 and in such position as to render the contacts of the device readily accessible for inspection or repair.

The particular timing device shown is provided for controlling the production of ignition sparks, in a 4-cylinder engine, and is of the type involving relatively movable contact members certain of which are in the form of springs successively moved relative to the contacts cooperating therewith, by engagement with a rotatable cammember. The stationary contacts of the timing device, of which four are provided in the construction shown, as above stated, are rep-resented at 18, 19, and 2 1 and in the particular arrangement shown constitute the threaded I rod portions of binding posts represented at 22, 23, 24 and 25, these binding posts extending through a circular side Wall 26 of the casing member 9 and being arranged equidistantl-y, with adjacent ones 'of these binding posts extending at right angles to each other, the stationary contact-forming portions of the binding posts extending into i the interior of the casing 9 as shown. The

portions o-f'the side wall 26 through which the binding posts described extend, are

' ,tacts -18, 19., 20 and '21 respectively. Each of the spring Contact :members is formed of :a strip of springmetal,,=as forfexaanp'le steel, each curvedly bent between its ends preferably into the form SllCW'Il in the drawings to provide the 'angulamly-disposed portions 32 and 33, these spring members being thus curved lengthwise thereof. The spring con tacts referred to are secured in position on the casing 9a-t their 'angularly disposed portions 32, which are .apertured as indicated at 34, through whichzaperture's the rod portions of the binding posts referred ;to extend, these apertures being of considerably larger diameter than the said rod portions The rod portions of the binding post pass through insulating bushings 35 :in the Wall 26 and carry i-nsulatingwashjers T36 and 37 against which nuts .38 Land 39 are screwed to hold-the binding posts and thespningconthat members referred to firmly :in position on the casing -she1l 9. The outer =ends of the rod portions of the binding posts carry the usual zknurled nuts '40 for clamping to theseposts the terminals leading toithesp'ark plugsof theseveral-cylinders of the engine, in accordance with common practice. The inner faces of 'the'bosses 27 against which the portions 32 of the spring contacts bear are '=recessed,'as represented at'41, to afford the horizontal seating surfaces 42 for the tact members described ends 32 of the spring contacts and the vertical end Walls 43 for the adjacent end edges of the portions 32, these recesses being so positioned relative to the apertures in the wall 26 through which the binding posts referred to extend, that when the spring contact members are positioned in the recesses 41, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 4 and by full lines in Figs. 2 and 3, to seat upon the ledges 42 and against the vertical surfaces 43, the walls of the openings 34 in the spring contact members will be out of contact with the rods of the binding posts and thus these spring members will be insulated from the binding posts, the latter being insulated from the casing 9, by reason of the construction stated. The free ends of the spring contacts 28, 29, 30 and 31 cooperate With stop pins 44, 45, 46 and 47 which rise from the bottom plate 48 of the casing 9, these stop pins being arranged a slight distance beyond the, stationary contacts with which the respective spring contacts coop- 7 erate, as shown.

Cooperating with the spring contact-members, is a rotary contact-actuating member carried on the upper end of the shaft 6 and driven thereby. This member, as shown,

comprises a disk 49 secured to the. upper end :of the shaft '6 and extending into the casing 9, this dish containing a semi-circular opening 50 in its periphery, and a second disk 51 of inverted cup shape adapted to telescope with the disk 49 and containing roller 52 0f insulatingmaterial journa'led on "the disk 51' through the medium of the screw =53 and extending into "the groove 50 of the disk 49 this roller extending laterally beyond the periphery of the disk 51 and in the plane of the various spring con The device just refer-red to-constitutes in effect a cam, and the parts are so constructed and arranged, as shown that the spring contact members remain a-t all times cuto f engagement with the respective cooperating stationary :con-

tac'tsof the device, and bear against the respeetive stop pins referred to under the spring'action of the 'spring contact members, except when :the roller portion of the actuating rfnember rolls against these spring contacts as shown 'of the contact 28 in. Fig.

3, ein which case the roller 52 flexes the spring contact with which it engages, out-- Wardly, and into engagement with its to operating stationary 'contact,;it being undei stood that these spring contact inembcrsarc thus operated in succession :to close the circuit :between them and their respective stationary contacts. It is highly desirable in an electrical device of the characterstated that the mutually engaging faces of the stationary and movable contact -members be maintained in clean and unpitted condition, and this 1 accomplish by causing the movthis end the portion of the actuating c-amdevice above referred to. The portions 33 of the spring contacts thus being normally-in bent condition, the engagement of the cam device therewith operates to flex these portions towards straight condition after initial engagement with the stationary contacts, thereby causing the portions 33'to rub at their faces across the faces of the stationary contacts and produce the cleansing and pitting-preventing wiping action referred to. 7 I

In the particular arrangement shown all of the spring contact members are in electrical contact with the casing 9, by reason of being clamped against the latter, as stated, and thus in the installing of the device with an internal combustion engine, would constitute the. grounded portion of the timer.

-It will be understood from the foregoing that by constructing the timer in accordance with my invention it is necessary that only as many binding posts be provided as correspond with the number of the cylinders of the engine. Thus in the arrangement shown only four-of the binding posts, corresponding with the four cylinders of the engine with which the device is to be used, are provided on the device.

The provision of the spring contact members as metal strips curved lengthwise thereof to afford the angularly-disposed portions 32 and 33, is of great advantage as the life of the spring is thereby greatly augmented. It may be stated in this connection that I prefer to make the spring contacts referred to of relatively thin gage spring metal, and so form them that when assembled with the other parts as shown and described, these spring contacts will bear against the stop pins 44,, 45, 46 and 47, respectively, under spring tension, in which position they are out of engagement with the respective stationary contacts, and furthermore so propor tion the part-s that these spring contact members except when engaged by the roller device 52. as stated, will be out of contact with the disk 49. Thus the springs are only subjected to such wear as'may occur by the rolling friction of the roller 52 against it, as distinguished from the relatively great wear which occurs in those constructions wherein the rotary spring-contact-operating member rubs against these spring contact members continuously.

The casing 9 is, in the particular arrangement shown, provided with a removable and replaceable cover section 54 adapted to be held in place by a'pressure arm 55 pivoted at 56 on a lug 57'formedas a part of the casing 9 adapted tobear under its spring action against the center of the cover 545 as shown in Fig. 2.

It may hp further stated that it is desirable in timing devices that the spring contact members be made of light metal, and it is also desirable that a quick break be provided for between the spring contact member and the stationary contact with which itcooperates, these two features being combined in my improved construction inasmuch as the spring contact members bear normally, under their spring action, against the stops in which position they are out of engagementwith the cooperating stationary contacts Vhile I have illustrated and described a particular construction embodying my in vention, I do not wish to be understood as intending to limit it thereto as the same may be variously modified and altered without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. Inan electrical device, the combination of a support, a spring contact member, and a binding post forming a contact securing said member to said support and insulated from said member.

2. In an electrical device, the combination of a support, a spring contact member, and a binding postforming a contact securing said member to said support and insulated from said member, said support being recessed to receive said member, with its walls so disposed as to position said member on said support out of contact with said post.

3. In an electrical device, the combination of a support, a spring contact member con taining an aperture, and a binding post forming a contact extending through said aperture and securing said member to said support and insulated from said member.

4. In an electrical device, the combination of a support, a plurality of spring contact members, aseries of binding posts forming a series of contacts for engagement, respectively, by said spring contact members securing said members to said support and insulated from said members, each of said members opposing, for engagement therewith, the binding post of the next adjacent spring cont-act member, and means for actuating said spring contact members in succession.

5. In an electrical device, the combination of a support, a plurality of resilient contact members in the form of spring strips curve lengthwise thereof'and each presenting angularly-disposed port-ions, said members bemg arranged 111 a circular series, a series of binding posts forming a series of stationar y contacts for engagement, respectively, by said resilient contact members securing said members to said support, each at one of its angnlarly disposed or-tions and insulated therefrom, each 0 said members 0pposing, for engagement therewith, a contact post of the next adjacent resilient contact member, said resilient members extending under their spring action out of engagement Withsaid stationary contacts, a rotary member having a projection for vactuating said resilient members, and stops against which said resilient members bear in normal position/said resilient members in normal position being under tension and out of engage .ment with said rotary member.

6. In a timer, the combination With a rela tively fixed contact, of a rotary cam and a spring contact extending under its spring tension normally out of engagement With said fixed contact and bent in a direction to extend at its bent portion into the path of said cam andmoved directly thereby against said fixed contact and relative thereto in face-to-ztacer-ubbing contact therewith as said cam tends to straighten out said bent portion.

7.. In a timer, the combination With a relatively fixed contact, of a rotary cam and a spring contact curved lengthwise thereof and presenting'angnlarly disposed portions at one of which said spring contact is supported, said spring contact extending under its spring tension normally out of engagement with said fixed contact, with the other cf said angularly disposed portions bent in a direction to extendat its bent portion into the path of said :cam and moved directly thereby againstsaid fixed contact and relative thereto in facetotace rubbing contact therewith assaid cam tends to straighten out said bent 5POIti0I1.

sGUS'IA'F A. SAFST'ROM. 

